DETERMINING THE IMPACT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL AND POLITICAL SKILL ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE BY USING STRUCTURAL EQUATION METHOD: A STUDY IN SERVICE SECTOR

Abstract

The importance of human factor, one of the production inputs which is needed to increase the productivity of companies and to ensure their continuity despite the growing competition in today’s conditions, is gradually increasing. In addition to knowledge, skills and experiences of the employees within the company, psychological capital; self-efficacy, hope, optimism and psychological resilience dimensions aim to provide maximum benefit from labour force for the companies. On the other hand, with its dimensions of political skill, social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability and apparent sincerity, it foresees integration of organization members within the framework of organizational purposes, creating positive organizational climate, taking effective measures to ensure continuity of the company, while inspiring the environment with high performance. Work-life balance, of which importance has been gradually increasing, is examined with its dimensions of work-family and family-work conflict. The companies make regulations to improve working conditions within the scope of human resources plans and programs, for the individuals who have difficulty in achieving the balance between their roles that busy work life imposes on them and the life outside the work. Because of the family roles that patriarchal Turkish culture attributes to women and men and because individuals cannot make effective decisions within their family and social roles, they may have family-work conflict. The aim of this study has been determined to search the impact of psychological capital and political skill on work life balance. The universe of the study consists of employees who work in Istanbul province, service sector; education and logistics sectors being in the first place, also in retail, banking and informatics sector. As a result of the study, it has been observed that psychological capital and political skill have positive and significant impact on work-life balance. Another important result within the scope of the study is that psychological capital has more impact on work-life balance, compared to political skill. The most compatible structural equation model consisting of all these variables has been determined via path analysis and suggestions have been made to companies.